Tiit  LliriAnl 

OF  THE 

WMYUMTY  Vf  IkMlMt* 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION 


EDMUND  J.  JAMES 


THOMAS  A.  STOREY 


Reprinted  from  The  City  College  Quarterly,  Vol.  5,  No.  2,  June,  1909. 


THE   DEPARTMENT    OF    PHYSICAL 
INSTRUCTION 

THE  Department  of  Physical  Instruction  in  the  College  of 
the  City  of  New  York  is  now  two  years  old.  It  may 
not  be  inappropriate,  therefore,  at  this  time  to  offer  to  the 
readers  of  the  Quarterly  a  description  of  its  building,  equip- 
ment, organization  and  work. 

The  building  is  a  stone  and  terra  cotta  structure  conforming 
in  type  with  the  Gothic  style  of  architecture  which  character- 
izes the  new  City  College.  Externally,  it  presents  a  pleasing 
ensemble  of  straight  lines  and  right  angles,  with  here  and 
there  a  decorated  arch.  It  is  generously  windowed.  Sym- 
bolic grotesque  dwarf  figures  are  placed  symmetrically  here 
and  there  in  the  terra  cotta  lines  and  sills.  These  grotesques 
are  bending  the  bow,  lifting  weights,  throwing  the  discus,  and 
performing  other  feats  of  strength  and  skill.1  The  building 
is  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  feet  long  and  seventy-seven  feet 
wide.  It  contains  a  basement  and  two  stories.  The  first 
story  is  divided  by  a  mezzanine  floor,  and  the  second  story 
contains  a  gallery. 

The  basement,  which  is  on  a  level  with  the  street  at  one  end 
and  on  a  part  of  one  side,  is  well  supplied  with  prism  glass 
windows.  These  windows  face  the  open  so  that  the  basement 
receives  an  abundance  of  direct  and  indirect  sunlight,  a  fact 
which  makes  it  a  most  desirable  place  for  the  location  of  a 
swimming  pool.  Visitors  are  always  impressed  with  the  flood 
of  warm  sunshine  that  has  such  free  access  to  this  great  room, 
illuminating  all  its  parts  and  bringing  into  view  even  the  white 

1  It  is  most  interesting  to  note  that  each  of  the  many  hundred  grotesques 
that  decorate  the  stone  walls  of  the  City  College  is  symbolic  of  some  phase 
of  work  done  within  those  walls.  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Sickels  for  access 
to  his  original  list  of  themes  which  these  grotesques  symbolize.  A  detailed 
description  of  these  decorations  was  published  in  the  Quarterly  about  a 
year  ago. 

67 


68  THE  CITY  COLLEGE  QUARTERLY 

tiled  bricks  that  lie  deep  in  the  transparent  water.  The  pool  is 
rectangular,  being  one  hundred  feet  long  and  twenty-nine  feet 
wide.  It  is  five  feet  deep  at  one  end  and  eight  feet  deep  at  the 
other.  The  tank  is  faced  and  floored  throughout  with  white 
tile  bricks,  so  carefully  laid  that  the  waterproof  cement  between 
the  bricks  forms  perfectly  parallel  lines  which  give  a  pleasing 
effect  of  order  and  symmetry  when  seen  through  the  water  or 
when  reflected  from  its  surface. 

A  specially  devised  overflow  carries  away  the  surface  water. 
This  overflow  is  of  bronze  and  lies  beneath  the  overhanging 
slate  coping  on  the  sides  of  the  tank  so  that  there  is  no  danger 
of  injury  from  falling  against  it  on  entering  or  leaving  the 
pool.  It  is  so  arranged  that  every  wave  on  the  surface  of  the 
pool  will  wash  its  crest  into  the  trough.  The  trough  empties 
into  the  tank  drain.  When  the  pool  is  in  use  this  process  of 
surface  removal  goes  on  continually.  This  arrangement  has 
a  two-fold  value.  It  diminishes  the  interference  of  the  waves 
with  the  swimmer  in  competition,  and  it  helps  us  keep  the 
water  clean. 

The  following  measures  are  taken  in  order  to  keep  the  water 
pure.  Each  bather  is  required  to  be  clean  before  he  is  per- 
mitted to  use  the  pool.  A  shower  bath  must  precede  a  swim. 
This  rule  is  carefully  enforced.  All  classes  taking  work  in  the 
department  are  instructed  several  times  each  year  concerning 
the  obligation  of  each  student  to  do  his  share  to  maintain  the 
sanitation  of  his  surroundings  and  particularly  the  sanitation 
of  the  pool.  In  addition,  the  pool  is  supplied  day  and  night 
with  a  continuous  stream  of  fresh  tempered  filtered  water,  and 
it  is  emptied  and  thoroughly  cleaned  twice  a  week.  The  neces- 
sity for  these  precautions  becomes  evident  when  one  learns  that 
there  were  over  ninety-nine  thousand  voluntary,  and  over 
thirty-five  thousand  required  baths  taken  in  the  swimming 
pool  during  this  last  year. 

The  tank  is  surrounded  by  a  red  tiled  waterproof  floor  about 
eight  feet  wide  which  serves  as  a  runway  for  the  swimmers. 
Surrounding  this  runway,  and  about  four  feet  higher,  there  is 


EDMUND  J.  JAMES 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  69 

at  each  end  and  on  both  sides  of  the  room  a  gallery  for  spec- 
tators.    The  side  galleries  have  raised  seats. 

This  great  room,  with  its  clear  pool,  white  tiled  bricks, 
bright  natural  light,  and  fine  ventilation,  its  straight  lines, 
balance,  and  symmetry,  and  its  easy  and  attractive  utility, 
must  and  does  have  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  student. 
Here  he  receives  healthful  exercise,  and  here  he  learns  to  swim, 
possibly  for  the  conservation  of  his  own  life  or  that  of  another 
human  being;  here  he  meets  scores — it  may  be  hundreds — of 
his  fellow  students  on  a  basis  of  social  intimacy  and  equality 
which  is  elsewhere  attained  only  in  the  Exercising  Hall  of  the 
Gymnasium.  And  it  is  all  clean.  His  surroundings  are 
clean.  His  object  in  being  there  is  clean.  His  social  inter- 
course is  clean.     The  habits  he  cultivates  are  clean. 

The  floor  above  the  swimming  pool  is  the  first  or  street  floor 
of  the  building.  The  main  entrance  leads  by  a  few  stone  steps 
from  the  terrace  of  the  plaza  to  this  floor.  Here  are  located 
three  fine  hand-ball  courts,  a  large  student  locker  room,  two 
student  shower  rooms,  a  faculty  locker  and  shower  room,  a 
small  special  exercising  room,  and  a  fair  sized  room  for 
athletic  supervision. 

The  hand-ball  courts  are  about  thirty  feet  square.  They 
are  well  lighted  and  well  used.  Hand-ball  has  become  very 
popular,  so  that  these  courts  are  always  busy  and  there  is 
usually  a  waiting  list. 

The  student  locker  room  on  this  floor  is  supplied  with  steel 
lockers  and  combination  locks.  There  is  another  room  like  it 
on  the  floor  above.  In  these  two  rooms  there  are  at  present 
one  thousand  and  forty  lockers.  More  will  have  to  be  sup- 
plied soon,  for  there  are  not  enough  now  to  satisfy  the  demand. 

The  small  special  exercising  room  serves  several  purposes. 
Wrestling  is  taught  there  to  some  of  the  regular  classes.  The 
punching-bags  are  in  fairly  general  use.  But  the  most  im- 
portant function  of  this  room  is  connected  with  those  students 
who  are  organically  unfitted  for  the  regular  required  courses 
in  physical  exercise  given  in  the  department.  Some  twenty- 
five  young  men  went  through  specially  assigned  exercises  in 


70  THE  CITY  COLLEGE   QUARTERLY 

this  room  last  year.  They  were  in  this  class  because  of  bad 
hearts,  and  other  abnormalities. 

The  Faculty  Athletic  Committee  room  is  bright  and  com- 
modious. It  contains  desks  for  the  student  team  managers, 
and  officials  of  the  Athletic  Association,  and  files  for  associa- 
tion records.  Two  years  ago  the  association  was  over  seven 
hundred  dollars  in  debt.  It  had  been  supported  by  faculty 
and  graduate  subscriptions.  Now,  without  any  subscriptions 
for  two  years,  the  association  has  paid  all  its  bills  and  all  of 
the  seven  hundred  dollars  debt  which  it  inherited,  and  has  a 
cash  balance  large  enough  to  meet  the  initial  expenses  of  the 
coming  athletic  season. 

The  instructors'  locker  and  shower  room  holds  seventy  odd 
lockers.  It  is  well  lighted,  well  ventilated,  and  adequately 
furnished.  It  is  open  for  use  to  the  officers  of  instruction  at 
all  times  during  the  day. 

The  next  floor  above  the  one  I  have  just  described  is  the 
Mezzanine  floor.  This  floor  contains  student  locker  and 
shower  rooms  like  those  on  the  floor  below.  There  is  also  a 
butler's  pantry,  staff  dressing  and  shower  room,  director's 
office  and  dressing  room,  and  an  examining  room. 

The  butler's  pantry  is  supplied  with  a  gas  range,  dish- 
washing sinks,  warming  oven  and  shelves.  It  is  used  for  the 
preparation  of  refreshments  for  receptions,  dances,  meetings 
of  the  Faculty  Club,  and  so  on.  The  staff  room  contains 
lockers  and  showers  for  the  departmental  staff.  The  director's 
office  contains  the  office  fixtures  and  conveniences  necessary 
for  the  expeditious  accomplishment  of  the  great  amount  of 
clerical  work  natural  to  such  an  office.  During  this  last  year 
the  medical  examinations  alone  furnished  over  seven  thousand 
records  for  systematization  and  filing. 

The  examining  room  is  one  of  the  most  important  rooms  in 
the  building.  It  is  supplied  with  white  enamel  steel  furnish- 
ings of  the  hospital  examination  room  type,  and  contains  all 
the  equipment  necessary  for  the  complete  general  medical 
examination  of  the  student.  It  is  finished  in  white  so  that  it 
may  be  an  object  lesson  in  cleanliness.     During  this  last  year 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  71 

over  seven  thousand  examinations  were  made  under  the  plan 
of  medical  and  hygienic  supervision  which  centers  in  this 
room.  As  a  result  of  these  examinations,  over  a  thousand 
parents  acting  on  our  advice,  secured  treatment  for  their  boys. 
Our  regular  examinations  cover  the  skin,  hair,  eyes,  ears, 
nose,  mouth,  throat,  lungs,  heart,  abdomen,  and  such  other 
special  regional  or  organic  examinations  as  may  seem  neces- 
sary. 

The  floor  above,  like  the  basement,  is  really  one  great  room. 
A  half  partition  separates  the  exercising  hall  from  the  office. 
The  gallery  contains  a  seventeen-lap  running  track.  The 
whole  floor  is  well  ventilated  and  very  well  lighted.  It  is 
bright,  cheerful  and  attractive.  The  exercising  hall  is  one 
hundred  and  sixteen  feet  long  and  sixty-seven  feet  wide.  It 
will  accommodate  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  men  at  a  time 
for  mass  drills.  It  is  supplied  with  all  the  apparatus  ordi- 
narily found  in  a  gymnasium.  During  the  past  year  six 
classes,  about  fifteen  hundred  students,  have  been  in  regular 
attendance  in  the  required  courses.  The  voluntary  use  of  the 
exercising  hall  secured  an  attendance  of  about  twenty  thou- 
sand for  the  year. 

These  various  rooms,  with  their  furnishings  and  supplies, 
are  the  laboratories  with  which  the  Department  of  Physical 
Instruction  is  equipped  for  the  purpose  of  turning  out  healthy, 
vigorous,  physically  efficient  men  of  sound  moral  character. 
In  furtherance  of  this  purpose  the  departmental  organization 
includes  several  related  phases  of  work  which  are  known  to 
influence  health  and  character.  This  correlation  of  related 
influences  is  concisely  presented  in  the  departmental  announce- 
ment contained  in  the  college  register  for  this  year.  It  reads 
as  follows: 

The  organization  in  this  department  has  been  planned  pri- 
marily to  give  the  student  such  supervision,  instruction  and 
experience  as  will  enable  him  to  realize  his  own  peculiar  health 
possibilities  and  formulate  intelligently  his  own  policy  of 
personal  health  control.  In  addition  instruction  is  offered  in 
a  variety  of  those  motor  activities  that  are  known  to  have  a 


72  THE  CITY  COLLEGE   QUARTERLY 

desirable  influence  on  the  development  of  neuro-muscular 
strength,  endurance  and  co-ordination,  and  which  are  also 
known  to  develop  certain  valuable  traits  of  character. 

It  is  calculated  that  these  educational  influences  may,  on  the 
one  hand,  teach  the  young  man  how  to  secure  and  conserve 
his  own  health,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  lead  him  in  his  graduate 
years  to  become  an  important  factor  in  the  advancement  of  the 
public  health  and  character. 

The  following  phases  of  departmental  work  are  combined 
for  the  purpose  of  securing  these  results : 

I.  Medical  and  Hygienic  Supervision. 

(a)  Medical  Examinations.  A  regular  examination  is  re- 
quired of  all  preparatory  and  collegiate  students  when  they 
first  enter  the  Institution. 

(b)  Medical  Inspection  required  of  all  preparatory  students 
and  of  students  in  the  first  two  collegiate  years.  Repeated 
each  half  year. 

(c)  Medical  Consultation  open  to  all  students  and  applied 
to  students  referred  by  instructors. 

(d)  Treatment.  Emergency  treatment  is  the  only  treat- 
ment attempted  by  the  Department.  All  students  are  required 
to  secure  treatment  whose  physical  condition  is  a  menace  to 
their  companions.  All  students  with  remediable  physical 
defects  are  required  to  show  cause  why  appropriate  treatment 
is  not  secured.     Special  exercise  is  prescribed  for  special  cases. 

II.  Hygienic  Instruction.      (Lectures.) 

(a)  Academic. 

A  i.     Ways  and  means  of  securing  and  conserving  health. 
A  2.     The  influence  of  certain  abnormal  conditions  and  habits 
on  health. 

(b)  Collegiate. 

1.  Some  of  the  common  causes  of  disease. 

2.  The  carriers  of  disease. 

3.  Defenses  against  disease. 

4.  The  nature  of  some  common  diseases. 

III.  Instruction  in  Physical  Exercise. 

(a)  Drills.     Graded  through  six  terms. 

(b)  Apparatus.     Graded  through  four  terms. 

(c)  Swimming.     Graded  through  six  terms. 

(d)  Games  and  outdoor  exercise. 

IV.  Written  and  Practical  Examinations. 

(a)  Monthly  examinations,  both  written  and  practical. 

(b)  Term  examinations.     Final  written  examination. 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  73 

V.  Athletic  Control. 

(a)  Under  the  direction  of  the  Faculty  Athletic  Committee. 

(b)  Physical  Director  is  chairman  of  Faculty  Athletic  Com- 
mittee. 

(c)  Physical  Director  as  medical  examiner  passes  on  all 
candidates  for  teams.     No  candidate  is  eligible  until  approved. 

(d)  Members  of  Faculty  Athletic  Committee  are  members 
of  Executive  Board  of  the  Athletic  Association. 

(e)  No  money  is  paid  out  by  the  Athletic  Association  with- 
out the  approval  of  the  chairman  of  the  Faculty  Athletic 
Committee. 

(/)  Regulations  of  the  Intercollegiate  Athletic  Association 
are  enforced. 

Prerequisites 

Students  entering  Physical  Instruction   i  must  have  com- 
pleted A  i  and  A  2  in  the  Academic  Department  or  their 
equivalents.     These  requirements  may  be  concisely  outlined 
as  follows : 
A  1.      (Academic.) 

(a)  Hygiene.  "  Ways  and  means  of  securing  and  conserv- 
ing health."  These  lectures  are  concerned  with  such  subjects 
as  exercise,  rest,  food,  respiration,  care  of  excretions,  bathing, 
and  cleanliness.     Sixteen  lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

1.  Graded  mass  drills  in  floor  tactics.     These  drills  are  used  in 

order  to  develop  obedience  and  ready  response  to  com- 
mand, accurate  execution,  good  form  and  carriage,  and 
facility  of  control. 

2.  Swimming. 

A  2.     (Academic.) 

(a)  Hygiene.  "  The  effects  of  certain  abnormal  conditions 
and  habits  on  health."  These  lectures  deal  with  various  com- 
mon remediable  abnormal  conditions  such  as  defective  vision, 
obstructed  respiration,  adenoids,  large  tonsils,  and  bad  teeth; 
with  certain  habits,  such  as  mouth  breathing,  rapid  eating,  in- 
sufficient mastication,  and  with  stimulants,  constipation  and 
certain  sexual  problems.     Sixteen  lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

1.  Graded  mass  drills.  Movements  are  given  in  these  drills  in 
response  to  command.  Strength,  endurance  and  co-ordi- 
nation are  brought  into  play.  Only  fundamental  and 
larger  accessory  movements  are  utilized.    These  exercises 


74  THE  CITY  COLLEGE  QUARTERLY 

affect  chiefly  the  larger  muscle  groups  and  the  organs  of 
circulation  and  respiration. 
2.  Swimming.     Each   student   is   required   to   learn  how  to 
swim. 

Collegiate  Instruction. 

i.  Elementary  Physical  Instruction. 

(a)  Hygiene.  "Some  of  the  common  causes  of  disease.,, 
These  lectures  deal  with  bacteria  and  a  few  other  common 
causes  of  disease.  Their  general  morphology,  biology,  distri- 
bution, transmission  and  modes  of  pathogenic  action  are  dis- 
cussed simply  and  without  technicality.     Sixteen  lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

i.  Graded  mass  drills.  Two-count  movements  for  the  further 
development  of  strength,  endurance  and  co-ordination, 
and  for  the  further  exercise  of  the  organs  of  circulation 
and  respiration. 

2.  Apparatus  work.     Graded  exercises  for  squads  of  five  stu- 

dents each  on  the  track,  horizontal  ladder,  chest  weights, 
rings  and  horse.  These  exercises  develop  speed,  strength, 
endurance  and  co-ordination ;  exercise  the  organs  of  circu- 
lation and  respiration;  and  develop  self-control,  self- 
reliance  and  courage. 

3.  Swimming.     Each  student  is  required  to  learn  to  swim 

with  more  than  one  variety  of  stroke. 
Prerequisite:  A  1  and  A  2  (Academic),  or  their  equivalents. 
Prescribed :  Arts  and  Sci.,  Fresh. ;  first  term,  two  hours  a  week, 

counts  one-half. 
2.  Elementary  Physical  Instruction  (continued). 

(a)  Hygiene.  "  The  carriers  of  disease."  A  discussion  of 
the  agents  that  may  disseminate  disease  such  as  food,  water, 
clothing,  flies,  mosquitoes,  other  insects,  animals  and  careless 
human  beings.     Sixteen  lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

1.  Graded  mass  drills.     These  drills  are  continuations  of,  but 

more  advanced  than,  those  given  in  the  preceding  term. 

2.  Apparatus  work.     Graded  exercises  for  squads  of  five  men 

each  on  the  indoor  track,  horse,  vaulting  bar,  mat  and 
buck.  These  exercises  secure  a  further  development  of 
the  anatomical,  physiological  and  psychological  objects 
noted  in  I. 

3.  Swimming.     Each  student  is  required  to  develop  endur- 

ance in  swimming. 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  lb 

Prerequisite:  i. 

Prescribed :  Arts  and  Sci.,  Fresh. ;  second  term,  2  hours  a  week, 
counts  one-half. 

3.  Advanced  Physical  Instruction. 

(a)  Hygiene.  "  Defenses  against  disease."  These  lectures 
deal  with  some  of  the  measures  utilized  by  organized  society  in 
its  campaign  against  disease,  such  as  the  establishment  of 
Boards  of  Health  and  Quarantines,  and  the  passage  of  appro- 
priate laws.  It  further  deals  with  the  defenses  of  the  indi- 
vidual, such  as  cleanliness,  avoidance  of  the  carriers  of  disease, 
antiseptics,  sunshine,  fresh  air,  and  immunity.  Sixteen 
lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

1.  Graded  mass  drills.     Four-count  movements.     More  ad- 

vanced work  making  greater  demands  on  speed,  strength, 
endurance  and  co-ordination,  and  on  the  circulation  and 
respiration,  and  further  developing  good  carriage  and 
form. 

2.  Apparatus  work.     Graded  exercises  for  squads  of  five  on 

the  buck,  horizontal  bar,  parallel  bars,  and  the  pieces 
already  covered  in  the  earlier  terms.  These  exercises  are 
planned  for  the  further  development  of  the  objects  pre- 
viously outlined. 
3.  Swimming.  Diving,  rescue  and  resuscitation  of  the 
drowning. 

Prerequisite :  2. 

Prescribed :  Arts  and  Sci.,  Soph. ;  first  term,  two  hours  a  week, 
counts  one-half. 

4.  Advanced  Physical  Instruction  (continued). 

(a)  Hygiene.  "The  nature  of  some  common  diseases." 
These  lectures  deal  with  the  economic  importance,  the  cause, 
symptoms,  and  prophylaxis  of  such  diseases  as  tuberculosis, 
pneumonia,  malaria,  syphilis  and  gonorrhoea.    Sixteen  lectures. 

(b)  Physical  Exercise. 

1.  Advanced  graded  mass  drills.     Eight-count  movements. 

2.  Advanced  graded  apparatus  wrork.     For  squads  of  five. 

3.  Games  :  Handball,  wrestling,  and  swimming  (see  under  4). 

4.  Swimming.     Aquatic  games. 

The  instruction  in  physical  exercise  in  this  term  is 
planned  to  secure  a  further  development  of  self-control, 
self-reliance,  self-respect,  courage,  team  work  (the  appre- 
ciation of  the  value  of  a  unity  of  effort),  loyalty,  and  the 
courtesy  of  sport,  in  addition  to  those  anatomical,  physio- 


76  THE  CITY  COLLEGE  QUARTERLY 

logical,  and  practical  hygienic  objects  that  are  in  view 

throughout  all  the  instruction. 
Prerequisite :  3. 
Prescribed :  Arts  and  Sci.,  Soph. ;  second  term,  2  hours  a  week, 

counts  one-half. 
Note  :  In  each  of  the  above  compulsory  courses  provision  is 
made  for  those  students  whose  organic  condition  may  dis- 
qualify them  for  the  regular  scheduled  work. 

Voluntary  Classes.  These  are  organized  at  such  times  of  the 
day  as  do  not  conflict  with  the  required  work.  They  are  open 
to  all  collegiate  students  without  credit.  Opportunity  is  given 
in  these  classes  for  advanced  work  and  for  experience  in  cer- 
tain phases  of  normal  work. 

It  will  be  noted  in  the  above  announcement  that  the  work  in 
physical  instruction  is  required  of  the  third-year  academic  and 
the  first  and  second  year  collegiate  students.  There  are,  there- 
fore, six  classes  taking  that  instruction.  This  gave  us  an 
enrollment  last  year  of  about  fifteen  hundred  students.  Of 
this  number  about  five  hundred  were  academic  and  about  nine 
hundred  collegiate  students.  The  academic  classes  were  in 
attendance  once  a  week;  the  collegiate  classes,  twice. 

Each  student  is  required  to  appear  in  a  quarter-sleeved  white 
shirt,  a  pair  of  white  knee  running  trousers,  and  a  pair  of 
soft  soled  shoes. 

The  floor  of  the  exercising  hall  is  marked  with  two  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  numbers.  Each  student  in  each  class  is 
assigned  one  of  these  numbers.  When  his  class  is  called,  the 
student  finds  his  number  on  the  floor  and  stands  on  it.  In  this 
way,  class  order  is  quickly  secured ;  the  class  roll  easily  taken, 
and  much  time  saved. 

A  typical  class  hour  for  the  college  classes  is  divided  into 
three  parts.  A  short  talk  on  "  hygiene  "  is  given  immediately 
after  the  class  is  called.  It  is  rather  unique  to  see  two  hundred 
students  dressed  in  clean  white  uniforms  listening  to  a  discus- 
sion of  the  laws  of  health  which  they  in  a  few  minutes  are 
going  to  put  into  practical  application.  These  lectures,  as  indi- 
cated above,  are  carefully  graded  and  are  in  logical  sequence 
from  the  first  term  to  the  sixth  term.     A  special  effort  is  made 


THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  11 

to  present  only  matters  of  practical  importance,  applicable  to 
the  surroundings  and  health  problems  of  the  young  men  of 
New  York  City.  The  lecture  is  followed  by  a  class  drill. 
These  drills  are  varied  at  frequent  intervals  and  are  graded 
throughout  the  six  terms.  They  are  all  given  with  certain 
definite  objects  in  view,  such  as  the  physiological  effects  of 
rapid  respiration,  increased  heart  rate,  or  local  muscular  con- 
traction, or  the  psychological  effects  of  obedience  to  command, 
of  successful  coordination,  or  of  accurate  execution.  The  drill 
is  followed  by  squad  work  on  the  apparatus.  Each  squad  is 
made  up  of  five  students  grouped  together  with  reference  to 
their  physical  ability.  These  squads  are  assigned  work  on  the 
various  pieces  of  apparatus  in  the  building.  Some  of  them 
work  on  the  chest-weights,  others  on  the  track,  others  play 
hand-ball  or  swim,  or  work  on  the  bars  or  mats.  This  last 
term  we  began  cross-country  running  as  a  part  of  the  work  for 
the  "  apparatus  period."  We  hope  to  extend  these  opportuni- 
ties for  out  of  door  exercises  so  that  we  may  secure  more  of 
the  well  known  psychological  benefits  common  to  well  directed 
games,  sports  and  play.  In  the  apparatus  period,  each  group 
of  four  or  five  squads  is  under  the  direction  of  an  assistant. 
The  character  of  exercise  given  these  squads  is  frequently 
varied,  and  is  carefully  graded  throughout  the  courses.  It  is 
selected  with  reference  to  its  desirable  influence  upon  physical 
development,  and  because  of  its  effect  on  character.  We  are 
not  interested  in  teaching  "stunts."  We  are  primarily  inter- 
ested in  developing  healthy  bodies  and  healthy  minds.  A 
typical  hour,  then,  consists  of  a  short  lecture  period,  a  class 
drill  period,  and  a  period  for  squad  work  on  the  apparatus. 

Examinations  are  given  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  stu- 
dents in  these  various  phases  of  work.  The  monthly  practical 
examination  covers  the  mass  drills  and  squad  exercises  which 
the  student  has  been  taught  during  the  preceding  three  or  four 
weeks.  The  monthly  written  examination  covers  the  subject 
matter  presented  in  the  short  lectures.  Each  term's  work  is 
also  closed  with  a  final  written  examination.  Those  students 
whose  term  records  and  final  records  are  satisfactory  are  ad- 


78  THE  CITY  COLLEGE  QUARTERLY 

vanced.  The  others  are  required  to  repeat  the  course.  At  the 
end  of  the  second  term  of  last  year,  out  of  a  total  registration 
of  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty-four,  only  eighty-three  failed, 
and  twenty-five  were  deficient. 

A  careful  medical 'and  hygienic  supervision  has  been  insti- 
tuted for  the  purpose  of  informing  the  boy  and  his  parents  con- 
cerning physical  and  hygienic  defects  and  for  the  purpose  of 
protecting  the  student  from  dangerous  hygienic  and  disease 
contacts.  All  entering  pupils  in  the  Academic  Department 
(Townsend  Harris  Hall)  and  all  entering  freshmen  are  ex- 
amined thoroughly.  All  students  taking  work  in  physical 
instruction  are  inspected  at  least  twice  a  year.  It  is  also 
planned  to  give  all  pupils  in  the  Academic  Department  a  short 
medical  examination  twice  a  year.  Medical  consultations  may 
be  secured  when  desired  by  the  student  or  recommended  by 
his  instructor.  These  various  medical  examinations  are  also 
hygienic  examinations,  and  the  advice  given  the  student  is  as 
largely  hygienic  as  it  is  medical.  During  the  past  year  we 
made  sixteen  hundred  and  twenty-eight  regular  medical  exami- 
nations; one  hundred  and  seventy-three  examinations  of 
athletes ;  five  hundred  and  ninety  consultations  were  held,  and 
there  were  five  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty-seven  in- 
spections. The  total  number  of  opportunities  given  us  to  be 
of  medical  or  hygienic  benefit  to  the  student  through  personal 
examination  (these  influences  from  the  stand-point  of  the 
modern  physician  are  inseparable)  reached  a  total  of  seven 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty-eight.  Wherever  needed, 
advice  was  given.  This  advice  was  followed  up  during  the 
second  term  of  last  year  and  it  was  found  that  in  more  than 
one  thousand  cases  parents  were  influenced  to  secure  some 
form  of  medical  treatment  for  their  boys  in  conformity  with 
our  advice.  In  addition,  every  student  registered  for  work  in 
the  department  fell  under  the  influence  of  our  hygienic  advice. 

Finally,  the  work  of  the  department  may  be  summarized  as 
follows :  The  compact,  well-equipped  building  provided  for 
this  department  by  the  trustees  of  the  College  has  been  in  use 
for  two  years;  its  various  subdivisions  are  under  the  super- 


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THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  PHYSICAL  INSTRUCTION  7'.) 

vision  of  a  staff  of  sixteen  instructors ;  two  academic  and  four 
collegiate  classes  are  in  required  attendance,  aggregating-  four- 
teen hundred  and  fifty-four  students ;  during  the  past  year  the 
total  required  attendance  in  the  exercising  hall  was  over  sixty- 
nine  thousand;  the  total  required  attendance  in  the  swimming 
pool  was  over  thirty-five  thousand;  the  total  voluntary  at- 
tendance in  the  exercising  hall  was  over  twenty  thousand ;  the 
total  voluntary  attendance  in  the  swimming  pool  was  over 
ninety-nine  thousand;  the  voluntary  use  of  other  parts  of  the 
building  has  been  conservatively  estimated  as  being  over  ten 
thousand ;  the  sum  total  or  gross  attendance  in  the  various 
departments  of  the  building  amounted  to  over  two  hundred 
thousand ;  and  further,  seven  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifty- 
eight  medical  and  hygienic  examinations  were  given.  Out  of 
two  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-one  more  complete 
medical  examinations,  there  were  four  thousand  five  hundred 
and  seventy-five  diagnoses  which  secured  treatment  through 
the  parents  in  one  thousand  and  ninety-one  cases.  Out  of 
twenty-six  hundred  students  examined  over  twenty-one  hun- 
dred were  American  born,  the  remaining  five  hundred  students 
came  from  twenty-seven  different  foreign  countries.  Twenty- 
five  per  cent,  of  these  boys  were  of  American-born  parentage, 
the  remaining  seventy-five  per  cent,  having  a  parentage  from 
thirty-five  different  foreign  countries.  These  statistics  further 
show  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  different  varieties  of  parental 
occupation,  such  as  those  of  the  banker,  the  pedler,  the  barber, 
the  contractor,  the  cleaner,  the  lawyer,  the  watchman,  the 
physician,  the  clerk,  and  the  real  estate  agent. 

These  statistics  show  the  cosmopolitan  derivation  and  social 
status  of  the  college  boy  in  New  York  City.  They  indicate 
the  need  for  those  mixing,  socializing,  Americanizing  influ- 
ences that  are  peculiar  to  the  exercising  hall,  the  swimming 
pool  and  the  play-ground.  They  also  make  plain  the  reason 
for  the  existing  necessity  for  medical  and  hygienic  super- 
vision, and  for  careful  instruction  concerning  the  simple 
fundamental  laws  of  human  health.  And  finally,  they  explain 
the  reason  for  the  fact  that  the  City  College  boy  is  more  in 


80  THE  CITY  COLLEGE  QUARTERLY 

need  of  physical  exercise  than  any  other  American  college 
boy.  Two  years  ago  we  found  many  boys  who  had  not  the 
strength  in  their  arms  to  lift  their  weight  from  the  floor. 
Two  years  ago  when  the  indoor  track  was  first  used,  it  was 
a  common  daily  occurrence  to  find  two  or  three  boys  sick  at 
the  stomach  after  an  ordinary  easy  run.  Two  years  ago, 
sixty-four  per  cent,  of  our  boys  could  not  swim.  These  facts 
are  significant  of  the  pernicious  influence  of  crowded  urban 
life. 

We  believe  that  this  departmental  organization  which 
secures  a  combination  of  a  medical  and  hygienic  supervision 
with  instruction  concerning  the  simple  fundamental  laws  of 
health,  and  with  experience  in  the  more  important  health 
habits,  is  logical  and  well  balanced.  We  know  that  under  such 
combined  influences  physiological  and  hygienic  and,  therefore, 
health  improvement  is  inevitable.  Each  student  should  leave 
us  knowing  how  to  secure  and  conserve  his  own  health.  He 
must  leave  us  in  better  condition  than  that  in  which  we  re- 
ceived him. 

We  hope  and  plan  each  year  to  furnish  better  nourished 
and  healthier  brains  for  the  academic  purposes  of  the  College. 
We  hope  and  plan  each  year  to  turn  out  a  group  of  healthier, 
stronger,  more  rugged  and  more  efficient  young  men,  who, 
because  of  our  influences,  will  be  of  greater  academic,  social, 
economic  and  political  value  as  American  citizens.  We  hope 
and  plan  to  join  with  the  other  departments  in  this  great 
College  in  developing  character  and  in  making  men. 

Thomas  A.  Storey. 


